Friday Mosque (Male)


The Friday mosque in Male is one of many in the Maldives . It is the oldest of them, and is also an example of the craftsmanship of local artisans. The mosque was erected on the site of the pagan temple of the sun god, and as a material for the construction, a coral stone was chosen. The mosque is distinguished by its unique architecture and unique beauty.

Architecture and interior

Hukur Miskiy, or the Mosque of Friday, was built in 1656 by the decree of Sultan Ibrahim Iskander I. The uniqueness of the architecture of the temple stands out among the modern buildings, so it draws the attention of all passers-by.

On the walls, there are practically no places for joining the blocks, which indicates a high level of skill of the builders. The outside of the building has no decor, not counting the wrought-iron window grilles at the entrance, but the interior deserves special attention. The walls are decorated with carved citations from the Koran, and the main decoration is the art. There is a lot of wood carving in the interior, each of which has a religious meaning, for example, in the prayer hall there is a wooden panel that was made eight centuries ago - that's when the first Muslims appeared in the Maldives.

What to see in the temple?

First of all, the interior of the temple represents an interest for tourists. Guests can safely walk through the building, employees of the Office of Religious Affairs introduce tourists to the history of the temple and architecture.

It is equally interesting to visit the territory behind Hukur, where a cemetery and a sundial are located, which were pointed out to Muslims four centuries ago for the time of prayer. When visiting the cemetery, pay attention to the tombstones. If you see a pointed monument, it means that the man is resting here, and if the rounded one is a woman. The golden inscription on the tombstone indicates that the sultan is buried under it.

Visit

Officially visit the Muslim Friday Mosque, only Muslims can, but since it is the main attraction of the city, tourists of another faith can also see the temple and the cemetery. To do this, you need to take permission from the Office of Religious Affairs. Representatives of this agency work in Hukur, so permission can be obtained directly on the spot. When issuing a ticket, employees take into account the conformity of your outfit to the dress code: shoulders and knees should be covered.

Where is?

The Friday Mosque of Male is located on Medusiyarai-Magu Street, opposite the Presidential Palace . You can get there by bus, next to the stop Huravee Building Bus-Station, where the route number 403 stops.